UK high court allows 190 homes on floodplain despite failed safety test
A court ruling permitting a north Somerset housing development in a high-risk flood zone has sparked calls to change planning law.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
A UK high court ruling has cleared the way for the construction of 190 new homes on a floodplain site in north Somerset, despite the location failing a key safety test, in a decision the court said would be of "immense interest" to developers across England and Wales.
The site in question sits within "flood zone 3a," the highest level of flood risk classification before land is considered a functional floodplain, according to the report.
Safety test failure
Despite the site failing the relevant safety assessment, the court's judgment found that development could still proceed, a decision that has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue current planning law does not do enough to prevent building in high-risk flood areas.
The ruling is expected to be closely studied by property developers elsewhere in England and Wales, given its implications for how flood risk assessments are weighed against planning decisions more broadly.
Campaigners are now pushing for a change in the law, arguing the decision exposes a gap that allowed the north Somerset development, in Yatton, to move forward despite the flood risk findings.
Sources
- Houses can be built on floodplains despite failing safety test, says high court — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
Comments
Loading comments…
Related articles
Burnham says he wants next election fought on new taxes for free social care
Andy Burnham has said he wants to contest the next election on a plan for new taxes to fund free social care in England, ahead of a speech to the Labour conference.
Burnham warns 'broken' social care system risks breaking the NHS
The Greater Manchester mayor says a new social care plan will be detailed and put to voters at the next general election.
Burnham Calls for New Taxes to Fund Free Social Care in England Ahead of Labour Conference
In an interview with the BBC, Burnham argued that new taxes should pay for free social care in England, pointing to families already facing 'huge' dementia-related costs.
Labour Gets Poll Boost as Party Conference Opens in Liverpool
A new poll projects Labour well ahead of Reform UK as the party's annual conference begins, with Andy Burnham pledging a new help-to-buy scheme.
FGEHA reaffirms commitment to protecting members' rights, timely housing project completion
The authority's director general says legal facilitation will continue to support members and keep housing projects on schedule.
Mass Protests in Madrid After 87-Year-Old Woman Evicted from Her Home
Thousands marched in Madrid on Saturday to protest the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from the apartment she had lived in all her life, demanding greater protections for tenants.